Music week
This week in the Wimbledon forest the theme has been music! We started by bringing in musical instruments for the children to play in the forest such as bongo drums and maracas. They made their own beats or played along with songs we sang. All the music play inspired educators to bring in their own instruments including a ukulele and a guitar. This has led to our children learning some new songs and engaging in lots of dancing. The walk ins all week have been full of singing or using speakers to play our favourite songs. The introduction of the instruments inspired imagination play, some turned sticks in to guitars to perform songs while other made drums from the trees. It is great to watch how the music inspires play and encourages friendships.
All the music this week has made us aware of sounds we hear in the forest and the different noises animals make. We have lots of animal fact books in the forest and our children loved to learn new information, adding it to their conversations and play. One example of this was we learnt about hedgehogs and how they curl into a ball and stick out their spikes when in danger. During a game of imaginative play about baddies one child quickly lay on the floor making himself into a ball and said “my belly is soft but my back has pricks, don’t touch me it hurts you”. How amazing that the children are able to recall what they have learnt and add it in to their own games.
Both foxes and bunnies have had the slack line out this week. This is not only fantastic fun but a great way to help our foresters develop strength and balance. No matter how wobbly it becomes the littles ones so amazing resilience and are able to walk to the end. We have continued to test our physical strength by doing lots of climbing as well as building spider’s webs out of ropes to climb through.
Our children have also showed off their skills by making ‘animal crowns’ using wrapping paper with jungle animals on them. Making the crowns took lots of fine motor skills as they had to use scissors as well as a hole punch. Then using the holes made they would thread some string through and tie a knot securing the two ends together. Next, they found two sticks to add to the crown with tape. All this took great focus and determination, and all of the children were so proud of their final creation.
It has been glorious weather all week which is so enjoyable, but we need to keep cool in the forest. Of course, the best way to do this is water play. Along with usual water play, this week we have had water fights. Using our forest water pump as well as water cannons we have been able to get very wet at the end of the day perfectly ending some amazing forest days.
It has been a special sunny week! Have a lovely weekend.
Little Forest Folk
Wimbledon